Starting a crowdfunding campaign is easy, but it does take some planning. Now that you have published your campaign on Move Your Mountain, let’s make sure you have some key aspects included.

Story:

This is where you will inspire everyone who reads your story. It needs to be well written with details. Don’t make it too short (two sentences) and don’t make it too long (1,000 words). Be concise and to the point.

What is your cause? What are you raising money for?

Who will benefit from this fundraiser?

What exactly will you do with the funds?

Those are the key points that need to be covered. If there is any relevant history to your story, be sure to include it. You don’t need to give too much information, as you don’t want to lose potential donors because they don’t understand what the fundraiser is actually for.

Goal:

More money is better, right? Not necessarily when trying to fund raise. You should set a goal that’s realistic & attainable. You can change your goal amount at any time. If you only need $2,000, then set a goal for $2,000. There are times when people actually exceed the goal they set…and that’s great. You don’t want potential donors to shy away from giving to your campaign. Every dollar adds up! What we recommend is to set an attainable goal, then when you hit that goal, do an update with pictures, thank people for their generosity and then increase your goal. Often, this will yield more positive results.

Pictures/Images:

Upload the best picture(s) to represent your story. Make sure your picture is relevant and clear. For example, if you are doing a fundraiser for Izzy’s cancer fund, you should upload a clear picture of Izzy. Pictures are worth a thousand words. They will communicate much more than your well written story. The picture is the FIRST thing potential donors notice on your campaign. You want the picture to engage people and encourage them to want to read your story. Personal pictures work 100% better than a logo or a quote.

Videos:

Videos are powerful communicators. They allow people to relate more to you and your cause…and feel like they are really a part of it. If you’re going to use a video, make sure it’s clear, not shaky, and that the message is audible. Editing the video with music and words will also make it stand out!

Jumpstart Your Campaign:

If people see movement in your donations, they are more likely to be motivated to contribute. Here’s a couple quick & easy ways to create momentum in your campaign.

Facebook verify and share. This step should be the first thing you do. Every campaign author should Facebook verify their campaign. This communicates validity and trust to the one’s viewing your campaign. It’s better when people can connect a face to a name. Facebook sharing with all your friends and family is the best way to connect your campaign with those closest to you. Always make sure you ask them to share too.

Donate to your own campaign. This gets your campaign moving and sets the example for others to follow. By donating to your own campaign, you show your online audience that you believe in your story. This is especially important when creating campaigns for others, events or causes.

Share your campaign link through email and text messages. Everyone has a network of connections in their email and phone contacts. It doesn’t take long to create a quick message and share it via email and text. The more people that know about your campaign…the more donations are possible!

Post Updates to your campaign. It’s a fact that campaigns that post updates receive more donations … up to 200% more! Once you publish your campaign, you should continue to update it often. Every time you post an update, your donors receive an email. This keeps them engaged and aware of how your fundraising efforts are going. In your updates, you can include story updates, pictures, video & more. Keep it simple.

Thank your donors. We made it super easy for you to say “Thank You”. All donors will be listed along with their donation amount in your account dashboard. You simply click the “thank you” button and write a personal message… and it’s done!

Mountain Mentors:

Mountain Mentors are coaches on staff here at Move Your Mountain that are available to help YOU make your campaign successful. They can give you feedback on the look and feel of your campaign page and even give you tips on how to market it to your friends and family. And this is FREE to you! Just email them at [email protected]and a mentor will respond to your questions.

Help Center:

When you have questions along the way, you can access this information 24/7.

You have an amazing idea, you’ve started a campaign, and set your goal. Now what?

Now…you have to start the real work of marketing your campaign. Marketing your campaign isn’t about just posting it on Facebook and sending out a tweet. This is your business, your cause, your focus…now, let’s get the word out!

We have a team of coaches on staff here at MoveYourMountain that are ready to help you with your campaign. We call these coaches “Mountain Mentors”. You will be assigned a personal mentor to help you throughout the campaign fundraising process.

Once upon a time, it was a tic-tac toe board. Then, we called it “the pound” symbol. Sometime over the last few years, this symbol has morphed into the ever-famous “Hashtag”. The Hashtag has taken the social media world by storm…with no signs up it letting up. Therefore, if you don’t use the Hashtag, you will be one of the few left in the dust! Twitter was the first social media platform to embrace the hashtag, but it can now be found on virtually all social media platforms.

Have you seen the FANCY new app that the super developers created here at Move Your Mountain? It might look like a little blue “Give” button…but, that button can pack a powerful punch! We’ve discussed How to Create a Facebook Page before and how that can help your online fundraiser. Well, let’s take the next step and let me show you how to add the “give” button to your Facebook Page. This button shows up on your Facebook Page and when people click it to GIVE, they are taken directly to your campaign…all within your Facebook Page.

When you tuck your child into bed at night…you kiss their cheek, brush their hair away from their eyes, and turn the light-switch off as you leave the room. You know they are safe from danger, in a loving home, and surrounded by all the good that the world can summon.